This years Oscars look to be more low key with less big name movies nominated then I can remember in a long time. The nominees for best picture are:
The Artists
The Descendants
Extrememly Loud and Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
I have seen four of these films so far. The first one I watched was "The Help." The film chronicled the struggles of the servants in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960's. Emmas Stone plays an author who wants to write a book from the perspective of a black housekeeper. Interweaving the fiction with reality, the film does a very good job of expressing just how dismal things were back then even as the civil rights movement hit full stride. I thought it was a very good film overall; the acting was good, the story superb, the cinematography was adequate. I look for this to be a front-runner at this year's awards. Io bet this has a 1/2 chance to win.
The second film I saw was "The Tree of Life." This film was directed by Terrance Mallick and pushed the boundaries of what a film can be. With very little discernible plot or timeline, the film focused more extensively on the emotions of the characters and the themes presented by the plot. It will not give anything away to say that a family finds out one of their sons has passed away and the film then shows what has led up to this and what feelings are expressed as a result of the death. The actual event is never shown, I don't even remember finding out how the son died. The plot and actual events are truly secondary in this film. Even as this film challenges the traditional beginning/ middle/ end of traditional film making, it does a great job addressing the themes addressed by the screenwriter and director. Using some of the most beautiful cinematography to date, it captures each characters moods, emotions, and beliefs without truly filming a conventional scene. It is almost a series of impressionistic paintings shown in conjunction with a central idea to express the ides the director wants us to see which are quite open to interpretation even after the film ends. It was a very interesting (and slightly tedious- especially then middle 25 or 30 minutes with no humans appearing at all) look at how a film can get its message across while still managing to be called a film. I don't think it will win; it is too avant-garde for the academy to pick and rightfully so. I give this a 1/10 chance to win.
The third film I have watched was "Moneyball." It starred Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the Oakland A's general manager who changed the thinking in baseball by embracing the ideology of Bill James, the Godfather of statistics. While it was slightly entertaining, I have no idea why it was chosen for best picture. The cinematography was repetitious, the acting was OK if you buy Brad Pitt's interpretation of Billy Beane as a charismatic, swashbuckling, GM who didn't seem to care about his paycheck or his livelihood (which I did not). The screenplay was overwrought with Hollywood shtick and reeked of conventions best left in the 80's and 90's (can we have another close-up of Brad Pitt brooding in his pick-up truck? Please just one more.) I will say Jonah Hill did a great job of playing the anti-Jonah Hill assistant GM; Peter Brand. His performance saved the film. In short, this is a mildly entertaining look at the Hollywood version of baseball culture that somehow didn't ring authentic to me at all. I wouldn't recommend watching it to be honest and if you do, please do so with a grain of salt and a bottle of Pepcid AC as it may upset your stomach. Not a chance to win.
The fourth film I saw was "Hugo." It is about a boy, Hugo, who lives in a train station as he has been orphaned. Directed by Martin Scorcese, the cinamatography was excellent as was the story. Hugo meets one of the pioneers of filmmaking, Goerges Melies (portrayed by an outstanding Ben Kingsley) and the story unfolds from there. While serving as a film history lesson, the script manages to maintain its focus on being a "kid movie" while not overtly feeling like one. This is the first "kids movie" that has been nominated that actually should have been. I recommend it to everyone, young and old for the script, beautiful special effects, perfect period costumes and makeup, great performances by Kingsley and Sasha Baren Cohen, and the fantastic lesson in early filmmaking and the pioneering effects that Melies and the Lumiere Brothers had on filmmaking. Had the Oscars not alreay taken place, I would have moved this right next to "The Help" as my front-runner for the Oscar. Next up, I am watching "The Descendants" tonight and am expecting an outstanding film. I have heard nothing but good and am really looking forward to it.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday 2/2 BLOG!
In honor of Valentine's Day, Clark Dooley and I have decided to do some candy flavored beer research so Clark bought a bottle of Boulevard Chocolate Ale and I picked up two bottles of Chocolate Stout. We decided to drink the Boulevard Chocolate Ale first.
Brewer: Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City
Beer: Boulevard Smokestack Series Chocolate Ale
Style: Ale albeit 9.1% alcohol
Price: $12.99 for a pint bottle- not cheap
Clark claims that all of his KC homies are going crazy for this so he had to try it. Here are the ratings:
Appearance: Amber Caramely Smoky- not clear at all.
Mouthfeel: Kind of prickly, very bubbly.
Smell: surprisingly weak- can't really smell anything. Clark smells malt but it is not strong.
Taste: Definitely malty; the label says it is a malt beverage so I guess that makes sense. As for the chocolate, it is very apparent at the beginning of the drink but disappears quickly. I am not a fan to be honest; especially for $13 a pint. Not a real good start. Amy said it was like McEwans with sugar. John says that the four pale ales may have dulled his taste buds but he wants to know where the chocolate is. Clark says his homies can keep it in KC.
Overall rating: I say a 2.5 Clark says a 1.75. Not a stellar start.
Sidenote: Michelle is putting lip gloss on right now. Watch out TP holders. By the way, if you ever invite Michelle over, hide the wine.
On to the second!!!
Brewer: Rogue Brewery (usually a solid brewer- haven't had a bad one yet)
Beer Name: Rogue Chocolate Stout
Beer Style: Chocolate Stout
Price: $6.99 if memory serves correctly
Appearance: Looks like beer. Very dark. Almost black. Slight head; good lacing on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth but substanial. A nice feel.
Smell: Again, not a very strong smell. I'm starting to wonder if I have a cold. What I can smell is a slight chocolate smell with a hint of some kind of nuts.
Taste: Ummmmmmmmmmm. Now we have a beer. This is good stuff. Definitely more chocolaty and beery. Very smooth and the chocolate starts strong and fades into a slightly bitter aftertaste. The stout taste is smooth and not too bitter. It is a balanced beer which tastes good from start to finish. I recommend it highly for your Valentine's Day drinking. Clark says very choclatey, not cocoaey... Good beer.
Overall Rating: I say 3.5, Clark says 3.5 also. Good stuff.
And the last Chocolate beer for the night...
Brewer: Wells and Youngs Brewery, England
Beer Name: Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Beer Style: Chocolate Stout
Price: Want to say $5.99 but not for sure.
Appearance: Dark, choclatey, can't see through it at all.
Mouthfeel: Tingly, somewhat flat feel to it.
Smell: Smells like black licorice to me; sort of an anise smell.
Taste: Very smooth as well here. This is a professionally made beer as well. A little more bitter then the Rogue and slightly more malty. Clark doesn't care for the malt. We both agree that it is good but not quite as good as the Rogue.
SIDENOTE: Manchester United beat Chelsea in the 94 FA Cup final. Cantona scored twice from the spot. Programming note: United beats Chelsea Sunday AM on Fox. Better then the Super Bowl. Tune in.
BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My bro in law, Erick has decided to brew his own beer. He gave me a sample beer of each kind tonight and I told him I would review both on the blog tonight. Here goes!!!!
BREWER: Erick Todd brewing company
BEER NAME: Bo Pellini sucks nuts brown ale
Beer Style: Nut brown ale
Price: Ask Erick
Appearance: Ummm brown, cloudy, very bubbly
Mouthfeel: Smooth with a bubbly undertone, kind of champagney
Smell: Somewhat sweet in a mixed vegetableish way; can't say I've ever smelled this smell before- not necessarily bad- just very different
Taste: Very smooth- somewhat bland but we have been drinking chocolate stout for the last two hours as well so anything beneath paint thinner is going to be bland at this time. I think this would make Bo Pellini proud; if he wasn't a walking vagina... which he is. Go Penn State! And Michigan, Ohio St., Minnesota, Northwestern etc. Clark says go Illinois and Wisconsin and anyone we forgot.
Overall rating: Not bad. I'm going to have to shorten the name of the beer to retain blog space. From here on out, we are referring to it simply as "Bo Pellini sucks nuts". I give the "Bo Pellini Sucks Nuts" a 3.0. A good effort for a first time brewer. Gives me hope for future offerings. Clark says a good Newcastle feel; 3.2 overall.
BREWER: Erick Todd Brewery
BEER NAME: Erick's Wheatholer Ale
BEER STYLE: Wheat Ale
PRICE: Ask Erick (less then the Boulevard chocolate- that Clark can gaurantee)
SIDENOTE: CLark and I love to say Peter "SCHMIECHEL" Say it a few times-"SCHMIECHEL, SCHMIECHEL, SCHMIECHEL" See, I told you. And try to sound German. Makes it even funner.
Appearance: Light golden and very clear. Looks like a very summery beer.
Mouthfeel: Clark says slightly resembles alka seltzer. I think it is bubbly also. But only up front. Smooths out as it goes down. A good feel to it overall.
Smell: Clark says enticing. Very fruity. I say bubblegummy with a hint of baby poop. Or bananas; whichever.
Tatse: Clark says OOOhhh, ummm, and nothing else. Waiting... waiting... nothing. Clark says it tastes bubbly. Maybe the four pale ales have gotten him after all. Oh wait, he says it needs to sit a couple, two years. After a few drinks, I am pleasantly surprised. This doesn't taste like it smells. It is good. I could drink this all summer long. Has a hint of Belgium in it; especially the aftertaste. A very complex wheat beer that is light enough to please most palates but complex enough to keep your interest. File this away under "keeper" (unlike Taylor Martinez to the NFL scouts).
Overall rating: I'm going 3.5 with the potential to increase given a 6 pack in the driveway at a later date. Clark says the Stroh's factory farted out a 3 for this one. Obviously, I'm not making that up...
Good job Erick. Looking forward to the new one that you are brewing tonight. Hope you have as much fun making it as I had drinking these. And listening to Clark's pearls of alcohol wisdom...
Until next time, thanks for reading. Two oatmeal stouts coming next unless I finish the Scotch Ale blog I started last weekend. I LOVE SCOTCH ALE...
Brewer: Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City
Beer: Boulevard Smokestack Series Chocolate Ale
Style: Ale albeit 9.1% alcohol
Price: $12.99 for a pint bottle- not cheap
Clark claims that all of his KC homies are going crazy for this so he had to try it. Here are the ratings:
Appearance: Amber Caramely Smoky- not clear at all.
Mouthfeel: Kind of prickly, very bubbly.
Smell: surprisingly weak- can't really smell anything. Clark smells malt but it is not strong.
Taste: Definitely malty; the label says it is a malt beverage so I guess that makes sense. As for the chocolate, it is very apparent at the beginning of the drink but disappears quickly. I am not a fan to be honest; especially for $13 a pint. Not a real good start. Amy said it was like McEwans with sugar. John says that the four pale ales may have dulled his taste buds but he wants to know where the chocolate is. Clark says his homies can keep it in KC.
Overall rating: I say a 2.5 Clark says a 1.75. Not a stellar start.
Sidenote: Michelle is putting lip gloss on right now. Watch out TP holders. By the way, if you ever invite Michelle over, hide the wine.
On to the second!!!
Brewer: Rogue Brewery (usually a solid brewer- haven't had a bad one yet)
Beer Name: Rogue Chocolate Stout
Beer Style: Chocolate Stout
Price: $6.99 if memory serves correctly
Appearance: Looks like beer. Very dark. Almost black. Slight head; good lacing on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth but substanial. A nice feel.
Smell: Again, not a very strong smell. I'm starting to wonder if I have a cold. What I can smell is a slight chocolate smell with a hint of some kind of nuts.
Taste: Ummmmmmmmmmm. Now we have a beer. This is good stuff. Definitely more chocolaty and beery. Very smooth and the chocolate starts strong and fades into a slightly bitter aftertaste. The stout taste is smooth and not too bitter. It is a balanced beer which tastes good from start to finish. I recommend it highly for your Valentine's Day drinking. Clark says very choclatey, not cocoaey... Good beer.
Overall Rating: I say 3.5, Clark says 3.5 also. Good stuff.
And the last Chocolate beer for the night...
Brewer: Wells and Youngs Brewery, England
Beer Name: Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Beer Style: Chocolate Stout
Price: Want to say $5.99 but not for sure.
Appearance: Dark, choclatey, can't see through it at all.
Mouthfeel: Tingly, somewhat flat feel to it.
Smell: Smells like black licorice to me; sort of an anise smell.
Taste: Very smooth as well here. This is a professionally made beer as well. A little more bitter then the Rogue and slightly more malty. Clark doesn't care for the malt. We both agree that it is good but not quite as good as the Rogue.
SIDENOTE: Manchester United beat Chelsea in the 94 FA Cup final. Cantona scored twice from the spot. Programming note: United beats Chelsea Sunday AM on Fox. Better then the Super Bowl. Tune in.
BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My bro in law, Erick has decided to brew his own beer. He gave me a sample beer of each kind tonight and I told him I would review both on the blog tonight. Here goes!!!!
BREWER: Erick Todd brewing company
BEER NAME: Bo Pellini sucks nuts brown ale
Beer Style: Nut brown ale
Price: Ask Erick
Appearance: Ummm brown, cloudy, very bubbly
Mouthfeel: Smooth with a bubbly undertone, kind of champagney
Smell: Somewhat sweet in a mixed vegetableish way; can't say I've ever smelled this smell before- not necessarily bad- just very different
Taste: Very smooth- somewhat bland but we have been drinking chocolate stout for the last two hours as well so anything beneath paint thinner is going to be bland at this time. I think this would make Bo Pellini proud; if he wasn't a walking vagina... which he is. Go Penn State! And Michigan, Ohio St., Minnesota, Northwestern etc. Clark says go Illinois and Wisconsin and anyone we forgot.
Overall rating: Not bad. I'm going to have to shorten the name of the beer to retain blog space. From here on out, we are referring to it simply as "Bo Pellini sucks nuts". I give the "Bo Pellini Sucks Nuts" a 3.0. A good effort for a first time brewer. Gives me hope for future offerings. Clark says a good Newcastle feel; 3.2 overall.
BREWER: Erick Todd Brewery
BEER NAME: Erick's Wheatholer Ale
BEER STYLE: Wheat Ale
PRICE: Ask Erick (less then the Boulevard chocolate- that Clark can gaurantee)
SIDENOTE: CLark and I love to say Peter "SCHMIECHEL" Say it a few times-"SCHMIECHEL, SCHMIECHEL, SCHMIECHEL" See, I told you. And try to sound German. Makes it even funner.
Appearance: Light golden and very clear. Looks like a very summery beer.
Mouthfeel: Clark says slightly resembles alka seltzer. I think it is bubbly also. But only up front. Smooths out as it goes down. A good feel to it overall.
Smell: Clark says enticing. Very fruity. I say bubblegummy with a hint of baby poop. Or bananas; whichever.
Tatse: Clark says OOOhhh, ummm, and nothing else. Waiting... waiting... nothing. Clark says it tastes bubbly. Maybe the four pale ales have gotten him after all. Oh wait, he says it needs to sit a couple, two years. After a few drinks, I am pleasantly surprised. This doesn't taste like it smells. It is good. I could drink this all summer long. Has a hint of Belgium in it; especially the aftertaste. A very complex wheat beer that is light enough to please most palates but complex enough to keep your interest. File this away under "keeper" (unlike Taylor Martinez to the NFL scouts).
Overall rating: I'm going 3.5 with the potential to increase given a 6 pack in the driveway at a later date. Clark says the Stroh's factory farted out a 3 for this one. Obviously, I'm not making that up...
Good job Erick. Looking forward to the new one that you are brewing tonight. Hope you have as much fun making it as I had drinking these. And listening to Clark's pearls of alcohol wisdom...
Until next time, thanks for reading. Two oatmeal stouts coming next unless I finish the Scotch Ale blog I started last weekend. I LOVE SCOTCH ALE...
Saturday, January 14, 2012
XMas 2011 Beer Showdown
Welcome back to me!!!! After a long hiatus, I am back and better then ever (or at least as good/ bad as I was before)... Anyways, enjoy the new music I have posted on the page. I have picked some old fashioned Irish drinking music from HBO's "The Wire." Great TV show, great artist, great song. Enjoy.
If you are not a fan of the Wire, go straight to Blockbuster/ Netflix/ where ever and rent it. Watch all 60 episodes and then join with the crowd who has seen the best TV show ever.
And after my shameless plug, on to the beer!!! Tonight I am drinking two bottles of XMas ale; one from Great Britian and one from Belgium. The British beer is the Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale. I am going to add their website to my sidebar when I am done here. To date, they are the only brewer to earn a perfect "5" rating for a beer (India Ale) and it has withstood the test of time. I just drank some at Kevin's about a month ago and it was outstanding. There is a 4 pack in the fridge right now as a matter of fact. UMMMMMMM. I might get crunked up tonight! If only my wife was home for some lovin'! She is scrapbooking the entire weekend. Whoooohoooo! Bring hime some pretty pages hun. Miss you!
I will get to the second beer later in the post so without further ado...
Brewer: Samuel Smith, England
Beer Name: Winter Welcome Ale
Beer Style: Winter Ale
Price: Can't remember as I bought it before I got the awful head/chest cold that has kept me from drinking the last couple weeks. Maybe $5 for the pint; probably less.
Here is the rating:
Appearance: Light Amber, very clear for a beer; I can actually see things through it.
Mouthfeel: Slightly fizzy, a medium body, good overall.
Smell: My nose is still a little off but it has a hint of citrus behind the hops which dominate. A very strong aroma that reminds me of the Griswold family XMas tree. A very nice winter beer aroma.
Taste: No surprise here but the hops are the predominant flavor. Not nearly as bitter as the India Ale but much more then your average beer; not a lot of citrus taste to match the smell but it is very smooth. Very smooth and refreshing. Like drinking snowflakes (wow- poetic and cheesy). I'm digging this a lot (part of it could be the fact that I haven't drank anything in two weeks or so. Paint thinner in a rusty Colt 45 can might be good tonight). Regardless, this is a repeat buy for me; next time I'm at Friar Tuck's, I'm going to grab some more.
Overall rating: 4.5-could be slightly fuller bodied for me (read more hops) but overall a very nice beer. I have yet to taste a bad beer from Samuel Smith and they are quickly becoming an old faithful to me. I would recommend anything they brew; even if I haven't tasted it. This is going to be stiff competition for the next beer:
COMMERCIAL: JUST CALLED SQUARE ONE BREWERY- SCOTCH ALE COMES IN 1/20 (OR THEREABOUTS). ANYONE FOR A TRIP TO SOUTH CITY? I NEED A GROWLER OR THREE FOR THE FRIDGE...
Back to the regularily scheduled beer blog:
Brewer: St. Bernadus
Beer Name: St. Bernadus Christmas Ale
Beer Style: Winter/ XMas Ale
Price: Don't know. This beer was given to me last XMas by Goose. The label says that it can be aged up to 15 years and still be enjoyed by the most discriminating connoisseurs. (Really, it says that). By the way, THANKS GOOSE. You and I are going to do the blog for the beer you gave me this XMas along with the beer I'm giving you. Let me know when you are available and I'll drive down and spend the night in the guest room. Kelly- before you start, remember you are scrapbooking ALL FRICKING WEEKEND!!!!!! XOXO...
I just finished the Sam Smith- man that was good and I have a buzz already... And in the red corner: the challenger St. Bernardus!!! The bottle is entering the arena. "Fight Like a Brave" by the Chili Peppers is blaring on the PA. Let's get it aaawwwwwnnnnnnnnnnn!
Appearance: Medium brown but very cloudy; not checking out my Playboy through this glass; just kidding honey- I'm reading The Wall Street Journal!
Smell: Bubblegum- really. Possibly the weirdest beer smell ever. It smells like cotton candy. I am having my 9 year old smell it right now. Nick, after much prodding, smelled it and when I asked if it smelled like bubblegum, he smiled and said, Kind of, yeah- can I try it?" I sent him back to the kitchen. Justin just took a whiff and said "AWAAACCKKK- it smells like a bunch of alcohol- it makes me want to throw up." If only that would continue through high school...
Mouthfeel: Very substantial. A very thick beer. I king of have to gnaw on it.
Taste: Very, very wierd but Belgiun. (Sidenote- Nick just told me he wants to start a sweater blog by the way. I'm not really sure why.) Back to the beer. It is very sweet but actually tastes pretty good. The typical Belgiun aftertaste is parte of the real taste and doesn't linger. I actually like it quite a bit. And, it's 10% alcohol (CRUNKED UP YA'LL). But, for a 10% beer, it does a good job of masking the alcohol taste. I am going to have to drink more of this before giving the overall rating. Be back in a bit. (I'll publish now and edit later).
Overall rating: After much deliberation and the full bottle, I'll say a 4.0. Best Belgiun beer I have tried. Very sweet but very drinkable. I will buy another bottle next XMas for sure.
And, until the next one, thanks for reading. I have some Sam Smith IPA to drink :)
If you are not a fan of the Wire, go straight to Blockbuster/ Netflix/ where ever and rent it. Watch all 60 episodes and then join with the crowd who has seen the best TV show ever.
And after my shameless plug, on to the beer!!! Tonight I am drinking two bottles of XMas ale; one from Great Britian and one from Belgium. The British beer is the Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale. I am going to add their website to my sidebar when I am done here. To date, they are the only brewer to earn a perfect "5" rating for a beer (India Ale) and it has withstood the test of time. I just drank some at Kevin's about a month ago and it was outstanding. There is a 4 pack in the fridge right now as a matter of fact. UMMMMMMM. I might get crunked up tonight! If only my wife was home for some lovin'! She is scrapbooking the entire weekend. Whoooohoooo! Bring hime some pretty pages hun. Miss you!
I will get to the second beer later in the post so without further ado...
Brewer: Samuel Smith, England
Beer Name: Winter Welcome Ale
Beer Style: Winter Ale
Price: Can't remember as I bought it before I got the awful head/chest cold that has kept me from drinking the last couple weeks. Maybe $5 for the pint; probably less.
Here is the rating:
Appearance: Light Amber, very clear for a beer; I can actually see things through it.
Mouthfeel: Slightly fizzy, a medium body, good overall.
Smell: My nose is still a little off but it has a hint of citrus behind the hops which dominate. A very strong aroma that reminds me of the Griswold family XMas tree. A very nice winter beer aroma.
Taste: No surprise here but the hops are the predominant flavor. Not nearly as bitter as the India Ale but much more then your average beer; not a lot of citrus taste to match the smell but it is very smooth. Very smooth and refreshing. Like drinking snowflakes (wow- poetic and cheesy). I'm digging this a lot (part of it could be the fact that I haven't drank anything in two weeks or so. Paint thinner in a rusty Colt 45 can might be good tonight). Regardless, this is a repeat buy for me; next time I'm at Friar Tuck's, I'm going to grab some more.
Overall rating: 4.5-could be slightly fuller bodied for me (read more hops) but overall a very nice beer. I have yet to taste a bad beer from Samuel Smith and they are quickly becoming an old faithful to me. I would recommend anything they brew; even if I haven't tasted it. This is going to be stiff competition for the next beer:
COMMERCIAL: JUST CALLED SQUARE ONE BREWERY- SCOTCH ALE COMES IN 1/20 (OR THEREABOUTS). ANYONE FOR A TRIP TO SOUTH CITY? I NEED A GROWLER OR THREE FOR THE FRIDGE...
Back to the regularily scheduled beer blog:
Brewer: St. Bernadus
Beer Name: St. Bernadus Christmas Ale
Beer Style: Winter/ XMas Ale
Price: Don't know. This beer was given to me last XMas by Goose. The label says that it can be aged up to 15 years and still be enjoyed by the most discriminating connoisseurs. (Really, it says that). By the way, THANKS GOOSE. You and I are going to do the blog for the beer you gave me this XMas along with the beer I'm giving you. Let me know when you are available and I'll drive down and spend the night in the guest room. Kelly- before you start, remember you are scrapbooking ALL FRICKING WEEKEND!!!!!! XOXO...
I just finished the Sam Smith- man that was good and I have a buzz already... And in the red corner: the challenger St. Bernardus!!! The bottle is entering the arena. "Fight Like a Brave" by the Chili Peppers is blaring on the PA. Let's get it aaawwwwwnnnnnnnnnnn!
Appearance: Medium brown but very cloudy; not checking out my Playboy through this glass; just kidding honey- I'm reading The Wall Street Journal!
Smell: Bubblegum- really. Possibly the weirdest beer smell ever. It smells like cotton candy. I am having my 9 year old smell it right now. Nick, after much prodding, smelled it and when I asked if it smelled like bubblegum, he smiled and said, Kind of, yeah- can I try it?" I sent him back to the kitchen. Justin just took a whiff and said "AWAAACCKKK- it smells like a bunch of alcohol- it makes me want to throw up." If only that would continue through high school...
Mouthfeel: Very substantial. A very thick beer. I king of have to gnaw on it.
Taste: Very, very wierd but Belgiun. (Sidenote- Nick just told me he wants to start a sweater blog by the way. I'm not really sure why.) Back to the beer. It is very sweet but actually tastes pretty good. The typical Belgiun aftertaste is parte of the real taste and doesn't linger. I actually like it quite a bit. And, it's 10% alcohol (CRUNKED UP YA'LL). But, for a 10% beer, it does a good job of masking the alcohol taste. I am going to have to drink more of this before giving the overall rating. Be back in a bit. (I'll publish now and edit later).
Overall rating: After much deliberation and the full bottle, I'll say a 4.0. Best Belgiun beer I have tried. Very sweet but very drinkable. I will buy another bottle next XMas for sure.
And, until the next one, thanks for reading. I have some Sam Smith IPA to drink :)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Cheap Beer rankings!!!! The best beer test ever invented!
Ever wander into the beer aisle with $6 in your pocket and wonder which beer is the best cheap beer out there? Neither do I- BUT, if you ever do, this blog entry is for you! Me and 8 of my closet friends did the dirty work for you. We tested 9 beers with 6 pack prices under $6 and survived to tell about it. I'm pretty sure we lost a lot of productivity hours in the library the next day; but hey, it's all in the name of research. So here goes- a complete breakdown of the nine beers we tried along with their average rankings from 1 to 9 and some comments from everyone involved.
As you can see, not exactly a symposium on the finer points of micro-brewing... On to the rankings!!!! We used the same score as the rest of the blog; 0-5 with 5 being highest. Surprisingly, none of these came in at a 5.0.
The first three:
#1 Milwaukee's Best Light: Actually, not too bad. A slight bit of taste for a light beer and much smoother then most of us remembered. The overall ranking came in at 3.21. Here are some of the better commens:
Chris R: Better then expected. Used to hate it.
Kevin P: Crisp start, rusted pipe finish.
John D: Nasty from the smell to the burp.
#2 Natural Light: Again, not so bad. It was rumored this was Busch Light before AB put out the awful crap that is Busch Light. A much finer beer here. I think of the 9 gentlemen in the room, we figured we had consumed at least 4000 cases of this over the last 25 years. Overall ranking was a surprisingly low 2.41.
Cory M: The beer with the taste for food.
Tom W: Smooth and refreshing. A welcome taste in this valley of crap taste test.
Brad O: Just add water and sugar and you get ghetto juice. Not sure if I should take a drink or use it to boil pasta in.
#3 Hamm's Special Light: If this is "special" I'll settle for the regular version anytime. The closest thing to water this side of a public urinal in a truck stop at 11:30 on a Saturday night. Overall ranking was a 2.75. How did this rank higher then Natty Light? Redo!!! Kevin, we'll be back next Friday!
Chris R: Smells like a wet dog- no offense.
Rob P: No real taste.
John D: Tastes like wet cardboard.
BEERS 4-6.
Miller High Life: The champaign of beers. Probably Andre Brut' but "champaign" none-the less. Overall ranking came in at a whopping 3.56! I guess we wanted to live the High Life!
Kevin P: Tastes like salty skin. (That's what he really wrote- I swear)
Tom W: Tastes like the skidmarks from a BMW 7 series.
John Dooley: Certainly the champaign of cheap beer.
Stroh's: Kevin and I thought it would be a good idea to buy 15 of these for about $7at Shop N Save before we started this test. This will go down as one of the worst decisions I made in my whole life. This beer was started in Detroit. I think we now know why Eminem dos not proudly stroll onstage with a can of Stroh's. The overall ranking was a about a 1.1. Seriously.
Chris R: Why did they put dishwashing detergent in it? It was a bad idea to try and chug this stuff.
Cory: Tatses like window cleaner. (Why do all of my friends drink household cleaners?)
Tom W: Simply the worst beer ever created. Period.
Stag: I used to drink this out of the short little brown bottles when I was about 18. I thought it was OK then. Not sure it has stood the test of time. Overall ranking was 2.45. Comments from the peanut gallery:
Kevin P: The Pro Keds of beer.
John D: General taste of ass with a hint of shoe.
Dave L: Bad from the start. Smells like (a teacher in the Wentzville District's) (female area)*
*Comments were slightly modified so I don't get kicked off theis site (and Dave L doesn't get fired- Dave you're welcome).
And the final three:
Icehouse: I never drank this stuff- ever. Now, I know why. Others liked it but not the author of this blog. Sorry, you lose. Overall rating was a 2.95.
Rob P: Good start, bad finish.
Kevin P: Puffed rice start, Malt-O-Meal finish.
Cory M: Smells like a cat's butt, tastes like a cat's butt.
waters...
Hamm's: From the land of sky blue waters... The beer with the coolest jingle in all of history. Add in the Hamm's beer bear and you had some great commercials. If only the beer was as good as the advertising. Overall rating was about a 1.3. Comments for this were so good I'm going to list a few extra.
Rob P: Horrible. Bad taste. (For the record, he almost threw up after he tasted this one).
Kevin P: He started singing the Air Supply song: "All out of Love" for Hamm's. I'm guessing that he didn't care for it.
Tom W: The 2nd worst beer ever created. Whoever said the water was sky blue was colorblind because this water had to be yellow.
Brad O: I'm looking around to see if they are playing a practical joke on me because this really tastes like urine. (For the record, it was just the Hamm's in the can- no help was necessary.)
John D: Smells like a sock after playing indoor soccer.
Cory M: First taste was OK. The second reminded me of an ashtray.
LAST, and not the least was Olympia. The Butler Bulldogs of the taste test! No one expected anything but this impressed everyone. A nice surpise. Overall ranking was a 2.96.
Kevin P: Nutty grain start; orange peel finish. Reminds me of blue moon. (Anything would after the Stroh's).
John D: It in the water all right; the leftover water from the Stroh's factory.
Corey M: A nice golden brown color. Tastes like poop though.
Brad O: Best so far. Must be in the water. (He gave this a 5).
AND THE WINNER IS:
Miller High Life with a 3.56!!!!
#2 Milwaukee's Best Light 3.21
#3 Olympia 3.00
#4 Icehouse 2.95
#5 Hamm's Special Light 2.75
#6 Stag 2.45
#7 Natural Light 2.41
#8 Hamm's 1.30
#9 Stroh's 1.1
There it is. Science never lies! Go live the High Life (if you can't afford real beer). It is good stuff- especially if you only have about $5 for beer! Thanks to Kevin for hosting. Basement looks great. Thanks to everyonewho participated and took time to participate in this "tomfoolery."
Tom W
As you can see, not exactly a symposium on the finer points of micro-brewing... On to the rankings!!!! We used the same score as the rest of the blog; 0-5 with 5 being highest. Surprisingly, none of these came in at a 5.0.
The first three:
#1 Milwaukee's Best Light: Actually, not too bad. A slight bit of taste for a light beer and much smoother then most of us remembered. The overall ranking came in at 3.21. Here are some of the better commens:
Chris R: Better then expected. Used to hate it.
Kevin P: Crisp start, rusted pipe finish.
John D: Nasty from the smell to the burp.
#2 Natural Light: Again, not so bad. It was rumored this was Busch Light before AB put out the awful crap that is Busch Light. A much finer beer here. I think of the 9 gentlemen in the room, we figured we had consumed at least 4000 cases of this over the last 25 years. Overall ranking was a surprisingly low 2.41.
Cory M: The beer with the taste for food.
Tom W: Smooth and refreshing. A welcome taste in this valley of crap taste test.
Brad O: Just add water and sugar and you get ghetto juice. Not sure if I should take a drink or use it to boil pasta in.
#3 Hamm's Special Light: If this is "special" I'll settle for the regular version anytime. The closest thing to water this side of a public urinal in a truck stop at 11:30 on a Saturday night. Overall ranking was a 2.75. How did this rank higher then Natty Light? Redo!!! Kevin, we'll be back next Friday!
Chris R: Smells like a wet dog- no offense.
Rob P: No real taste.
John D: Tastes like wet cardboard.
BEERS 4-6.
Miller High Life: The champaign of beers. Probably Andre Brut' but "champaign" none-the less. Overall ranking came in at a whopping 3.56! I guess we wanted to live the High Life!
Kevin P: Tastes like salty skin. (That's what he really wrote- I swear)
Tom W: Tastes like the skidmarks from a BMW 7 series.
John Dooley: Certainly the champaign of cheap beer.
Stroh's: Kevin and I thought it would be a good idea to buy 15 of these for about $7at Shop N Save before we started this test. This will go down as one of the worst decisions I made in my whole life. This beer was started in Detroit. I think we now know why Eminem dos not proudly stroll onstage with a can of Stroh's. The overall ranking was a about a 1.1. Seriously.
Chris R: Why did they put dishwashing detergent in it? It was a bad idea to try and chug this stuff.
Cory: Tatses like window cleaner. (Why do all of my friends drink household cleaners?)
Tom W: Simply the worst beer ever created. Period.
Stag: I used to drink this out of the short little brown bottles when I was about 18. I thought it was OK then. Not sure it has stood the test of time. Overall ranking was 2.45. Comments from the peanut gallery:
Kevin P: The Pro Keds of beer.
John D: General taste of ass with a hint of shoe.
Dave L: Bad from the start. Smells like (a teacher in the Wentzville District's) (female area)*
*Comments were slightly modified so I don't get kicked off theis site (and Dave L doesn't get fired- Dave you're welcome).
And the final three:
Icehouse: I never drank this stuff- ever. Now, I know why. Others liked it but not the author of this blog. Sorry, you lose. Overall rating was a 2.95.
Rob P: Good start, bad finish.
Kevin P: Puffed rice start, Malt-O-Meal finish.
Cory M: Smells like a cat's butt, tastes like a cat's butt.
waters...
Hamm's: From the land of sky blue waters... The beer with the coolest jingle in all of history. Add in the Hamm's beer bear and you had some great commercials. If only the beer was as good as the advertising. Overall rating was about a 1.3. Comments for this were so good I'm going to list a few extra.
Rob P: Horrible. Bad taste. (For the record, he almost threw up after he tasted this one).
Kevin P: He started singing the Air Supply song: "All out of Love" for Hamm's. I'm guessing that he didn't care for it.
Tom W: The 2nd worst beer ever created. Whoever said the water was sky blue was colorblind because this water had to be yellow.
Brad O: I'm looking around to see if they are playing a practical joke on me because this really tastes like urine. (For the record, it was just the Hamm's in the can- no help was necessary.)
John D: Smells like a sock after playing indoor soccer.
Cory M: First taste was OK. The second reminded me of an ashtray.
LAST, and not the least was Olympia. The Butler Bulldogs of the taste test! No one expected anything but this impressed everyone. A nice surpise. Overall ranking was a 2.96.
Kevin P: Nutty grain start; orange peel finish. Reminds me of blue moon. (Anything would after the Stroh's).
John D: It in the water all right; the leftover water from the Stroh's factory.
Corey M: A nice golden brown color. Tastes like poop though.
Brad O: Best so far. Must be in the water. (He gave this a 5).
AND THE WINNER IS:
Miller High Life with a 3.56!!!!
#2 Milwaukee's Best Light 3.21
#3 Olympia 3.00
#4 Icehouse 2.95
#5 Hamm's Special Light 2.75
#6 Stag 2.45
#7 Natural Light 2.41
#8 Hamm's 1.30
#9 Stroh's 1.1
There it is. Science never lies! Go live the High Life (if you can't afford real beer). It is good stuff- especially if you only have about $5 for beer! Thanks to Kevin for hosting. Basement looks great. Thanks to everyonewho participated and took time to participate in this "tomfoolery."
Tom W
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Happy Mardi Gras!!!!
Happy Mardi Gras to everyone!!! I couldn't go anywhere so I figured I'd get some beer and write a blog. I have five different beers to drink and rate tonight so I better get to it! I'm going to be watching the Duke/ UNC game during so I'll probably comment on that as well. I am a huge Duke fan and there are not many things more enjoyable then Duke beating UNC. I have my JJ Redick jersey on for the occasion.
The first beer tonight is straight from New Orleans. According to the label, it "captures the essence and is characteristic of the gracious charm and joy of living so inherent in the New Orleans and Southern way of life." The classic Dixie Lager which I have never had before.
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name: Dixie Lager Beer
Beer Style: Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Very Light in color; somewhat cloudy; almost no head and lacing. Tons of bubbles. It looks like a traditional lager.
Mouthfeel: Somewhat substatial for a lager but still light overall.
Smell: You can smell the hops in the beer and also a slight amount of the malt as well. It has a slightly sweet odor to it. Overall, it smells good.
Tatse: Very smooth, refreshing, and slightly sweet at the end. This beer would be good on a hot, humid southern day. I can see an 18 pack on the beach with no problem. It is a good beer to start with tonight and will be finished very shortly.
Overall Rating: 4.0 A very nice, refreshing lager that would be good on the beach, fishing trip, or the golf course. The next time I head to Gulf Shores, I'm going to grab some of this and head for the ocean.
The second beer is from the same brewer but is their light beer; an amber called "Jazz." Here goes!!
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name: Dixie Jazz Amber Light
Beer Style: Amber Light Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Looks similar to the regular lager. Very light in color, slightly cloudy as well.
Mouthfeel: Significantly less substance here. Pretty watered-down which you would expect from a light beer.
Smell: A junior version of the regular lager as well. Slight hint of hops and malt followed by a sweet odor at the end.
Tatse: We have lost quite a bit here. There is not a whole lot to it. This might be a case at the beach at least. You could drink this all day and never get really drunk. It is definitely a light beer and the taste reflects that. This is something my wife might like because of the sweet aftertatse like the regular lager.
Overall Rating: 3.5 for a light beer. Significantly less taste and punch then the regular but that is what light beer is.
The third beer is from Abita Brewing company, the makers of Turbo Dog and Purple Haze.
Brewer: Abita Brewing Co.
Beer Name: Mardi Gras Bock
Beer Style: Bock
Price: $7.99 per 6 pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Medium Brown, slightly cloudy. Decent Head and lacing on the glass. Looks like we are having some real beer here.
Mouthfeel: Not too heavy; not too light. A good medium feel.
Smell: Skightly sweet; a nice aroma overall.
Taste: The overriding feature of this beer is the smoothness. For a bock, it is very melloow and smooth with very little aftertaste. Along with the Turbodog, another very nice output from Abita.
Overall rating: 4.0. A solid beer here that is just heavy enough for the cool days of early spring.
And the fourth beer in the list is straight from France. Sure, they make wine too but they also brew beer. After all, not everyone likes wine.
Brewer: Fischer's
Beer Name: Fischer's Blonde
Beer Style: Blond Ale
Price: $3.99 at Friar Tucks for 1 pint, 6 oz. bottle.
Appearance: Light brown; semi-clear, nice head and good lacing.
Mouthfeel: extremely light; even for a blonde
Smell: Sweet, not very beery at all. Very citrusy and light.
Taste: Very good beer here. Smooth, almost silky taste. I could drink gallons of this during the summer. Somewhat unique in that it combines hints of Belgian blondes with a Stella Artois feel to it. Very interesting and I'm having no problem finishing the entire 1 pint, 6 oz. bottle. I am surprised although the one thing the Frenchies have going is their food and drink so I shouldn't be.
Overall rating: 4.5. A very smooth, nice mellow beer with a good taste, afertaste, and aroma as well. This will be bought again.
And the last beer switches back to the brewers from Lousiana: Dixie Blackened Voodoo lager.
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Beer Style: Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Dark color; almost brown with a whole red hue to it. Almost no lacing or head when poured.
Aroma: Malt, malt, and more malt. This lager is made on malt alone.
Mouthfeel: rather substantial for a lager. I like it. It's bubbly and slightly heavier then Bud or one of the other standards.
Taste: If you like malty beers, this is the beach beer for you. At 5%. it won't kill you in the sun and it packs some serious taste for a lager. Beats the heck out of any Budweiser or Miller lager for sure. Actually, it's getting better as I finish the glass as well. This is pretty good stuff overall.
Overall rating: I'm giving this a 4.5 for a lager. Not as good as an ale, but for the style, I'm not sure I've had anything better. Good flavor all the way through and at 5%, it'll do the trick.
The first beer tonight is straight from New Orleans. According to the label, it "captures the essence and is characteristic of the gracious charm and joy of living so inherent in the New Orleans and Southern way of life." The classic Dixie Lager which I have never had before.
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name: Dixie Lager Beer
Beer Style: Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Very Light in color; somewhat cloudy; almost no head and lacing. Tons of bubbles. It looks like a traditional lager.
Mouthfeel: Somewhat substatial for a lager but still light overall.
Smell: You can smell the hops in the beer and also a slight amount of the malt as well. It has a slightly sweet odor to it. Overall, it smells good.
Tatse: Very smooth, refreshing, and slightly sweet at the end. This beer would be good on a hot, humid southern day. I can see an 18 pack on the beach with no problem. It is a good beer to start with tonight and will be finished very shortly.
Overall Rating: 4.0 A very nice, refreshing lager that would be good on the beach, fishing trip, or the golf course. The next time I head to Gulf Shores, I'm going to grab some of this and head for the ocean.
The second beer is from the same brewer but is their light beer; an amber called "Jazz." Here goes!!
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name: Dixie Jazz Amber Light
Beer Style: Amber Light Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Looks similar to the regular lager. Very light in color, slightly cloudy as well.
Mouthfeel: Significantly less substance here. Pretty watered-down which you would expect from a light beer.
Smell: A junior version of the regular lager as well. Slight hint of hops and malt followed by a sweet odor at the end.
Tatse: We have lost quite a bit here. There is not a whole lot to it. This might be a case at the beach at least. You could drink this all day and never get really drunk. It is definitely a light beer and the taste reflects that. This is something my wife might like because of the sweet aftertatse like the regular lager.
Overall Rating: 3.5 for a light beer. Significantly less taste and punch then the regular but that is what light beer is.
The third beer is from Abita Brewing company, the makers of Turbo Dog and Purple Haze.
Brewer: Abita Brewing Co.
Beer Name: Mardi Gras Bock
Beer Style: Bock
Price: $7.99 per 6 pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Medium Brown, slightly cloudy. Decent Head and lacing on the glass. Looks like we are having some real beer here.
Mouthfeel: Not too heavy; not too light. A good medium feel.
Smell: Skightly sweet; a nice aroma overall.
Taste: The overriding feature of this beer is the smoothness. For a bock, it is very melloow and smooth with very little aftertaste. Along with the Turbodog, another very nice output from Abita.
Overall rating: 4.0. A solid beer here that is just heavy enough for the cool days of early spring.
And the fourth beer in the list is straight from France. Sure, they make wine too but they also brew beer. After all, not everyone likes wine.
Brewer: Fischer's
Beer Name: Fischer's Blonde
Beer Style: Blond Ale
Price: $3.99 at Friar Tucks for 1 pint, 6 oz. bottle.
Appearance: Light brown; semi-clear, nice head and good lacing.
Mouthfeel: extremely light; even for a blonde
Smell: Sweet, not very beery at all. Very citrusy and light.
Taste: Very good beer here. Smooth, almost silky taste. I could drink gallons of this during the summer. Somewhat unique in that it combines hints of Belgian blondes with a Stella Artois feel to it. Very interesting and I'm having no problem finishing the entire 1 pint, 6 oz. bottle. I am surprised although the one thing the Frenchies have going is their food and drink so I shouldn't be.
Overall rating: 4.5. A very smooth, nice mellow beer with a good taste, afertaste, and aroma as well. This will be bought again.
And the last beer switches back to the brewers from Lousiana: Dixie Blackened Voodoo lager.
Brewer: Dixie
Beer Name Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Beer Style: Lager
Price: $7.99 per six pack at Friar Tucks
Appearance: Dark color; almost brown with a whole red hue to it. Almost no lacing or head when poured.
Aroma: Malt, malt, and more malt. This lager is made on malt alone.
Mouthfeel: rather substantial for a lager. I like it. It's bubbly and slightly heavier then Bud or one of the other standards.
Taste: If you like malty beers, this is the beach beer for you. At 5%. it won't kill you in the sun and it packs some serious taste for a lager. Beats the heck out of any Budweiser or Miller lager for sure. Actually, it's getting better as I finish the glass as well. This is pretty good stuff overall.
Overall rating: I'm giving this a 4.5 for a lager. Not as good as an ale, but for the style, I'm not sure I've had anything better. Good flavor all the way through and at 5%, it'll do the trick.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
2011 Oscars Movie Review- Kids are All Right!!!
Watched the fifth movie nominated for Best Picture in 2011 on Saturday night. "The Kids are All Right" was directed and written by Lisa Cholodenko. The film stars Anette Benning, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo. Benning and Moore play a married lesbian couple who decided to each have a child from the same sperm donor. After the oldest child has turned 18, she calls to find out who the donor was. After she and her brother meet him, the family is put to the test because of various different events.
The film had an interesting take on the strain families can be put under. The in your face, on the fly way the viewers are forced to reconcile with different feelings from different perspectives gives the film depth and a recurring theme that carries the movie. Each charcter is clearly flawed yet we identify and even like most, if not all, by the end of the film. Bening's performance as one of the moms earned her a nomination for best actress. Personally, I didn't see it but Mark Ruffalo's performance as the sperm donor/ step dad/ maternal father was outstanding and deserved the nomination it earned.
I would definitely recommend this film as it does pose some very clear questions and it forces the viewer to reexamine his/ her own thoughts about the security we gather from the family structure.
Next up is "127 Hours", the film starring James Franco about the hiker who chopped off his own arm in order to get to safety and ultimately live.
The film had an interesting take on the strain families can be put under. The in your face, on the fly way the viewers are forced to reconcile with different feelings from different perspectives gives the film depth and a recurring theme that carries the movie. Each charcter is clearly flawed yet we identify and even like most, if not all, by the end of the film. Bening's performance as one of the moms earned her a nomination for best actress. Personally, I didn't see it but Mark Ruffalo's performance as the sperm donor/ step dad/ maternal father was outstanding and deserved the nomination it earned.
I would definitely recommend this film as it does pose some very clear questions and it forces the viewer to reexamine his/ her own thoughts about the security we gather from the family structure.
Next up is "127 Hours", the film starring James Franco about the hiker who chopped off his own arm in order to get to safety and ultimately live.
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